Press Release - Fall 2005

LIGHTS OUT NEW YORK AT MIDNIGHT DURING FALL MIGRATION

This fall marks the beginning of the Lights Out NY, an initiative that encourages owners of tall buildings to save the lives of night-migrating birds while reducing energy costs. Lights can distract birds from their migration path and cause them to collide with buildings during bad weather. According to NYC Audubon, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, the New York City Department of Buildings, Buildings Owners' and Managers' Association, Associated Builders and Owners, and the Real Estate Board of New York, all partners in this initiative, turning off lights and drawing the blinds can help save thousands of birds from over 100 species every year.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP SAVE BIRDS THIS FALL:

FROM SEPTEMBER 1 TO OCTOBER 31

Tall buildings (40 stories or more):

• Turn off decorative lighting on the upper stories by midnight and leave lights off until daylight.
• Tenants on the upper floors are encouraged to turn out lights or draw blinds by midnight.

Low buildings (with extensive glass exteriors along Hudson River and East River):

• Turn off exterior lighting by midnight and leave lights off until daylight.
• Turn off interior lighting or draw blinds by midnight.

Added bonus - Energy Savings!

• For a building with 2.5 million square feet of floor space, turning off the lights after midnight would conserve more than 750,000 kilowatts and save approximately $120,000 this fall.

RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES

Buildings taking part in this initiative will be included on NYC Audubon's website and in subsequent press releases.

To register for Lights Out NY visit NYC Audubon at www.nycaudubon.org

For more information, contact NYC Audubon at 212-691-7483.

To find out what other cities are doing, visit Toronto at www.flap.org/new/diurnalfr.htm and Chicago at www.lightsout.audubon.org